Breast-feeding is the preferred method of feeding infants. However, there are circumstances that make breast-feeding impossible or less desirable. In those cases infant formulae are a good alternative. The composition of modern infant formulae is adapted in such a way that it meets many of the special nutritional requirements of the fast growing and developing infant.
Still it seems that improvements can be made towards the constitution of infant milk formulae. Breast fed infants have a decreased chance of becoming obese later in life, compared to formula fed infants, but little is known about the effects of ingredients in the infant formulae on obesity later in life. Obesity is a major health problem. It is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and is associated with many diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. The present invention relates to such future healthy body composition.
WO 2007/073194 relates to infant formulae comprising phospholipids, sphingolipids, and cholesterol for the prevention of obesity. WO 2007/073193 relates to infant formulae with specific linoleic acid to alpha-linolenic acid ratio's, low linoleic acid content and comprising phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol and/or choline plus uridine for the prevention of obesity later in life. EP1800675 relates to a composition with polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins and manganese and/or molybdene for improving membrane composition for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders.
Michalski et al, 2005, J Dairy Sci 88:1927-1940 discloses the size distribution of lipid globules in human milk and infant formula. WO 2005/051091 relates to a lipid combination which upon dispersion or emulsification in an essentially aqueous medium with other ingredients of infant formula forms a substantially homogenous dispersion or emulsion having a lipid globule-containing microstructure which is essentially mimetic of the corresponding globular microstructure of naturally occurring human milk fat. However, no effects on obesity later in life is disclosed.